Bond Commission OKs Community Investment Fund New Haven Grants

NEW HAVEN, CT —The State Bond Commission approved the release of approximately $74 million in state funding to support the fourth round of grants under the Community Investment Fund 2030, it was announced by Gov. Ned Lamont, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, and Speaker of the House Matt Ritter.

New Haven is slated to receive $3.6 million in grants for Continuum of Care, Inc., Friends Center for Children, Haven’s Harvest and the New Haven Museum.

This state grant fund was created in 2022 to support economic development in historically underserved communities across Connecticut. It is overseen by a 21-member board that is co-chaired by Looney and Ritter and administered by the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The board reviews grant applications and makes recommendations to the governor, who in his capacity as chairman of the State Bond Commission authorizes and advances the recommendations to the commission so it can give final approval to release the funding. The program is anticipated to release up to $875 million in grants over a five-year period.

Eligible projects include capital improvements, such as those focused on affordable housing, brownfield remediation, infrastructure, and public facilities, as well as small business support programs that provide revolving loans, gap financing, microloans, or start-up financing.

"Each of these grants are focused on infrastructure improvement projects that will enhance the economic vibrancy of historically underserved neighborhoods and help these towns and cities revitalize their economic base," Lamont said. “I am glad that we could partner with each of these organizations on these projects so that we can drive growth in communities across Connecticut."

In addition to promoting economic or community development in the municipality, projects must be intentionally designed to further consistent and systematic fair, just, impartial treatment of all individuals, including those belonging to underserved and marginalized communities.

Those include Black, Latino, indigenous and native American persons, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; persons comprising the LGBTQ+ community; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

"As co-chair of the CIF Board, I am gratified to see the latest round of funding approved by the Bond Commission,” Looney said. “Urban centers in Connecticut operate from a point of structural disadvantage, lacking a large taxable property base and without a regional or county system for provision of social services. State investments from the CIF in our cities and other underserved communities in Connecticut recognize the difficulty they face and support so many worthy organizations and projects.”

This fourth round of grants support 27 projects in 18 towns and cities. These are the grants awarded to New Haven-based agencies.

Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: Continuum of Care, Inc.
Award Amount: $2,750,000
Description: “Ella-Blake Project” – CIF funding will enable Continuum of Care to purchase its two facilities at 977 Ella Grasso Boulevard and 163 Blake Street. Funds will preserve 58 units of affordable housing.

Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: Friends Center for Children
Award Amount: $250,000
Description: “Flint Street Family Campus” – CIF will provide a planning grant for community engagement and design of the Flint Street Family Campus.

Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: Haven’s Harvest
Award Amount: $250,000
Description: “Phase 2 Planning” – CIF funds will allow for planning towards community engagement and a feasibility study of the intersection of its work and the needs of the community in the Fair Haven neighborhood.

Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: New Haven Museum
Award Amount: $350,000
Description: “Planning for 325 Lighthouse Road and 114 Whitney Avenue” – CIF planning funds will allow for community engagement, a master plan and designs for renovations and upgrades for the museum’s two sites.

"Projects that may have been overlooked in the past now have access to game-changing capital that can uplift entire neighborhoods," Ritter said. "And communities have a strong voice with CIF to fund the projects they see as keys to their future growth. I give Governor Lamont a lot of credit for seeing the need for this transformative program and standing behind CIF to ensure its success."